


In the Background

by CryptidOwl007



Series: Matsuhana Week [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, and Hanamaki can't beat Iwa-chan, day 2 for matsuhana week, no matter how hard he tries, prompt: in the background, there are tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-13 13:37:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4524042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryptidOwl007/pseuds/CryptidOwl007
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are very few people Hanamaki can't beat. He can't beat Iwaizumi at arm wrestling. He couldn't beat Shiratorizawa. Or Karasuno. But he wonders if he might be able to beat them with Matsukawa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Background

A volleyball bounced on the ground, slowly rolling to a stop. The match was over. For the first time, Hanamaki realized how badly he had wanted the win. It was to close. This didn't _feel_ right. They couldn't lose. How could they lose. How did this happen.

He looked to the Ace. His shoulders were hunched. Oikawa approached and stood behind Iwaizumi for just a moment. Squaring his own shoulders, he slammed his hand across the flat of Iwaizumi's back.

The jolt caused him to turn just enough.

_Tears_ Hanamaki thought.  _Even Iwaizumi. No. Especially Iwaizumi._ Going to him, he followed Oikawa's lead, as usual, and patted his back. The rest of their team followed suit as they lined up to face the crowd.

"Thank you very much!" they shouted, bowing to their supporters. Hanamaki stared straight at the ground, but still saw as Iwaizumi's tears hit the floor.

***

  _Well this sucks_ Hanamaki told himself, pressing his forehead against his locker. The team had all agreed to meet up tomorrow and talk about the match. Everyone wanted some time to process the loss on their own before trying to talk about it. Looking at their faces, Hanamaki had understood that it was for the best. Even he was unsure how he felt. Sure it sucked that they lost, but it was what it was. The rest of them had left in small groups, leaving him on his own.

Or so he thought. The door to the locker room swung open. Turning, Hanamaki watched as Matsukawa strolled in. 

"Matsu-kun! I thought you'd left already?" Hanamaki asked him, surprised. Looking him up and down with unusual seriousness, Matsukawa replied,

"You're always the last to leave." Laughing, Hanamaki poked fun at him.

"You noticed did you? How sweet, it's almost like you care about me!"

"Of course I care." Again, he was dead serious. Hanamaki never knew how to act when Matsukawa was truly serious. Laughing nervously now, he grabbed his bag and started towards him.

"Well, I'm fine so shall we go?"

"Are you?"

The question itself was simple, but something made him pause. Of course he was fine right? A loss was just a loss after all. So of course he was fine, he was fine, he felt...

 

_empty?_

It seemed strange that he hadn't noticed the crushing emptiness in his heart. He wasn't fine, he wasn't anything. This loss meant the end of everything; Hanamaki didn't know what to do now that it was all over. Volleyball, his third year, all of their plans for beating Shiratorizawa; they didn't matter anymore. Now all he could do was stand there and stare at Matsukawa.

Furrowing his brows, Matsukawa reached his hand out to stroke his face. When he pulled back, Hanamaki noticed it was wet. Reaching his own hand up, he felt the tears run over his fingers. Choking out another laugh, he told his friend,

"That's strange! I don't understand? How come I'm-" Matsukawa didn't let him finish, but rather embraced him, pushing Hanamaki's face into his chest. 

"It wasn't any one persons fault," he told him. Hanamaki allowed himself to clutch at Matsukawas jacket.

"I know! I just wanted to be able to do _more._  I hate leaving it all to Iwaizumi; he probably feels worse than me! So it's stupid that _I'm_ the one crying still!"

"No, It's fine. 'There are six players on this side of the court' right? We all lost. As a team. All of us played as hard as we could."

"Still! I hate it, I _hate it so much."_   Hanamaki cried into Matsukawas chest, shouting by the end. Matsukawa was silent for a while. Looking up, Hanamaki saw his own tears slipping from the corner of his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Matsukawa whispered,

"I hate it too. So so much." Leaning his head back into Matsukawas chest, Hanamaki cloesed his eyes. Sighing, he asked,

"I wonder what we're supposed to do now?" Planting a gentle kiss atop his head, Matsukawa sternly told him,

"We'll just have to beat them in college. Them and Ushijima."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's what we'll do." Tilting his head upward, Hanamaki kissed him, their smiles pressed against each other. 


End file.
